Alberta Hansard

Province of Alberta

The 30th Legislature
Second Session

Alberta Hansard

Tuesday afternoon, April 20, 2021
Day 100
The Honourable Nathan M. Cooper, Speaker

Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The 30th Legislature

Second Session
Cooper, Hon. Nathan M., Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (UC), Speaker
Pitt, Angela D., Airdrie-East (UC), Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees
Milliken, Nicholas, Calgary-Currie (UC), Deputy Chair of Committees

Aheer, Hon. Leela Sharon, Chestermere-Strathmore (UC) Allard, Tracy L., Grande Prairie (UC)
Nally, Hon. Dale, Morinville-St. Albert (UC),
Deputy Government House Leader
Amery, Mickey K., Calgary-Cross (UC) Armstrong-Homeniuk, Jackie,
Neudorf, Nathan T., Lethbridge-East (UC) Nicolaides, Hon. Demetrios, Calgary-Bow (UC) Nielsen, Christian E., Edmonton-Decore (NDP) Nixon, Hon. Jason, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre (UC),
Government House Leader
Nixon, Jeremy P., Calgary-Klein (UC) Notley, Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (NDP),
Leader of the Official Opposition
Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (UC)
Barnes, Drew, Cypress-Medicine Hat (UC) Bilous, Deron, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (NDP) Carson, Jonathon, Edmonton-West Henday (NDP) Ceci, Joe, Calgary-Buffalo (NDP) Copping, Hon. Jason C., Calgary-Varsity (UC) Dach, Lorne, Edmonton-McClung (NDP),
Official Opposition Deputy Whip
Dang, Thomas, Edmonton-South (NDP),
Official Opposition Deputy House Leader
Deol, Jasvir, Edmonton-Meadows (NDP) Dreeshen, Hon. Devin, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (UC) Eggen, David, Edmonton-North West (NDP),
Official Opposition Whip
Orr, Ronald, Lacombe-Ponoka (UC) Pancholi, Rakhi, Edmonton-Whitemud (NDP) Panda, Hon. Prasad, Calgary-Edgemont (UC) Phillips, Shannon, Lethbridge-West (NDP) Pon, Hon. Josephine, Calgary-Beddington (UC) Rehn, Pat, Lesser Slave Lake (Ind) Reid, Roger W., Livingstone-Macleod (UC) Renaud, Marie F., St. Albert (NDP)
Ellis, Mike, Calgary-West (UC),
Government Whip
Feehan, Richard, Edmonton-Rutherford (NDP) Fir, Tanya, Calgary-Peigan (UC)
Rosin, Miranda D., Banff-Kananaskis (UC) Rowswell, Garth, Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright (UC) Rutherford, Brad, Leduc-Beaumont (UC) Sabir, Irfan, Calgary-McCall (NDP),
Official Opposition Deputy House Leader
Savage, Hon. Sonya, Calgary-North West (UC),
Sawhney, Hon. Rajan, Calgary-North East (UC) Schmidt, Marlin, Edmonton-Gold Bar (NDP) Schow, Joseph R., Cardston-Siksika (UC),
Deputy Government Whip
Schulz, Hon. Rebecca, Calgary-Shaw (UC) Schweitzer, Hon. Doug, QC, Calgary-Elbow (UC),
Ganley, Kathleen T., Calgary-Mountain View (NDP) Getson, Shane C., Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland (UC) Glasgo, Michaela L., Brooks-Medicine Hat (UC) Glubish, Hon. Nate, Strathcona-Sherwood Park (UC) Goehring, Nicole, Edmonton-Castle Downs (NDP) Goodridge, Laila, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche (UC) Gotfried, Richard, Calgary-Fish Creek (UC) Gray, Christina, Edmonton-Mill Woods (NDP),
Official Opposition House Leader
Guthrie, Peter F., Airdrie-Cochrane (UC) Hanson, David B., Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul (UC) Hoffman, Sarah, Edmonton-Glenora (NDP) Horner, Nate S., Drumheller-Stettler (UC) Hunter, Hon. Grant R., Taber-Warner (UC) Irwin, Janis, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (NDP),
Official Opposition Deputy Whip
Shandro, Hon. Tyler, QC, Calgary-Acadia (UC) Shepherd, David, Edmonton-City Centre (NDP) Sigurdson, Lori, Edmonton-Riverview (NDP) Sigurdson, R.J., Highwood (UC) Singh, Peter, Calgary-East (UC) Smith, Mark W., Drayton Valley-Devon (UC) Stephan, Jason, Red Deer-South (UC) Sweet, Heather, Edmonton-Manning (NDP) Toews, Hon. Travis, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (UC) Toor, Devinder, Calgary-Falconridge (UC) Turton, Searle, Spruce Grove-Stony Plain (UC) van Dijken, Glenn, Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock (UC) Walker, Jordan, Sherwood Park (UC)
Issik, Whitney, Calgary-Glenmore (UC) Jones, Matt, Calgary-South East (UC) Kenney, Hon. Jason, PC, Calgary-Lougheed (UC),
Premier
LaGrange, Hon. Adriana, Red Deer-North (UC) Loewen, Todd, Central Peace-Notley (UC) Long, Martin M., West Yellowhead (UC) Lovely, Jacqueline, Camrose (UC) Loyola, Rod, Edmonton-Ellerslie (NDP) Luan, Hon. Jason, Calgary-Foothills (UC) Madu, Hon. Kaycee, QC, Edmonton-South West (UC),
McIver, Hon. Ric, Calgary-Hays (UC),
Williams, Dan D.A., Peace River (UC) Wilson, Hon. Rick D., Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin (UC) Yao, Tany, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (UC) Yaseen, Muhammad, Calgary-North (UC)

Party standings:

United Conservative: 62

New Democrat: 24

Independent: 1

Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly

Shannon Dean, QC, Clerk Teri Cherkewich, Law Clerk Trafton Koenig, Senior Parliamentary
Counsel
Philip Massolin, Clerk Assistant and
Director of House Services
Michael Kulicki, Clerk of Committees and
Research Services
Nancy Robert, Clerk of Journals and
Research Officer
Janet Schwegel, Director of Parliamentary
Programs
Amanda LeBlanc, Deputy Editor of Alberta

Hansard

Chris Caughell, Sergeant-at-Arms Tom Bell, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Link, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms

Executive Council

Jason Kenney

Premier, President of Executive Council,

Minister of Intergovernmental Relations

Leela Aheer

Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women

Minister of Labour and Immigration Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Minister of Service Alberta
Jason Copping Devin Dreeshen Nate Glubish Grant Hunter Adriana LaGrange Jason Luan
Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction Minister of Education Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

Minister of Justice and Solicitor General

Kaycee Madu

Ric McIver

Minister of Transportation,

Minister of Municipal Affairs

Dale Nally

Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity

Minister of Advanced Education Minister of Environment and Parks Minister of Infrastructure
Demetrios Nicolaides Jason Nixon Prasad Panda Josephine Pon Sonya Savage Rajan Sawhney Rebecca Schulz Doug Schweitzer Tyler Shandro Travis Toews Rick Wilson
Minister of Seniors and Housing Minister of Energy Minister of Community and Social Services Minister of Children’s Services Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Minister of Health President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Minister of Indigenous Relations

Parliamentary Secretaries

Laila Goodridge Martin Long
Parliamentary Secretary Responsible for Alberta’s Francophonie Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism

Parliamentary Secretary of Immigration

Muhammad Yaseen

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA

Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund
Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future
Standing Committee on Families and Communities
Standing Committee on Legislative Offices

Chair: Ms Goodridge Deputy Chair: Ms Sigurdson
Chair: Mr. Schow Deputy Chair: Mr. Sigurdson
Chair: Mr. Neudorf Deputy Chair: Ms Goehring
Chair: Mr. Orr Deputy Chair: Mr. Rowswell
Amery

Carson Glasgo Gotfried Lovely Neudorf Pancholi Rutherford Sabir
Ceci
Armstrong-Homeniuk

Barnes Bilous Irwin Reid Rosin Rowswell Sweet van Dijken Walker
Eggen Gray Issik Jones Phillips Singh Yaseen
Lovely Loyola Rosin Rutherford Shepherd Smith Sweet Yaseen
Smith

Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services
Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Public Bills
Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing
Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Chair: Mr. Cooper Deputy Chair: Mr. Ellis
Chair: Ms Phillips

Deputy Chair: Mr. Guthrie

Chair: Mr. Ellis

Deputy Chair: Mr. Schow
Chair: Mr. Smith Deputy Chair: Mr. Reid
Dang Deol
Armstrong-Homeniuk Lovely Neudorf Pancholi Renaud Rowswell Schmidt Singh
Amery Dang Getson Glasgo Irwin Nielsen Rutherford Sigurdson, L. Sigurdson, R.J.
Armstrong-Homeniuk Barnes Deol Ganley Gotfried Jones Lovely Loyola Rehn
Goehring Goodridge Long Neudorf Sabir Sigurdson, R.J.

Williams

Turton

Walker

Renaud

Select Special Committee on Real Property Rights
Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship

Chair: Mr. Sigurdson

Chair: Mr. Hanson

Deputy Chair: Mr. Rutherford

Deputy Chair: Member Ceci

Ganley Glasgo Goodridge Hanson Milliken Nielsen Orr Rowswell Schmidt Sweet
Dach Feehan Ganley Getson Guthrie Issik Loewen Singh Turton Yaseen

April 20, 2021

Alberta Hansard

4665

National Volunteer Week

Legislative Assembly of Alberta

Title: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 1:30 p.m.

MsꢀGlasgo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. National Volunteer Week will be celebrated from April 18 to 24 in communities across the province. This year’s theme is the Value of One, the Power of Many. This theme reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by millions of individuals and the magic that happens when we work together towards a common purpose. From seniors to the very young, from new Canadians to those who have called Alberta home for generations, Alberta’s volunteers reflect the rich diversity of the province, with volunteers representing every demographic group. In fact, many newcomers to Alberta and Canada get involved as volunteers as a way to learn about, build relationships in, and contribute to their new community. Volunteers are such a gift to our community. Their work truly comes from the heart, Mr. Speaker. I saw this in action when I visited the Medicine Hat food bank on Friday to build hampers and lend a hand. The food bank was abuzz with smiling, generous, energetic citizens donating their morning to serve those who need help the most. Volunteers like the ones in Brooks-Medicine Hat don’t want special recognition. They donate their time, talent, and resources with no incentive other than the kindness in their hearts. But I think they deserve all the recognition that they can get, and during National Volunteer Week is the perfect time to recognize the care and compassion of these amazing Albertans. There are many ways to thank a volunteer. You can nominate an outstanding youth, adult, or senior volunteer in your community for a Stars of Alberta volunteer award, recognize an everyday hero through the Alberta northern lights volunteer recognition program, and highlight individuals, teams, or projects by sharing volunteer stories on social media or other platforms. You could send them a personalized thank you. You could write a reference letter for a volunteer who is applying for a job. If anybody wants to get in on the volunteer action, I encourage them to visit the Alberta Cares Connector at volunteerconnector.org to find out about opportunities near them. Mr. Speaker, Alberta has some of the highest rates of volunteers in Canada, and that is something to be proud of.

1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

[The Speaker in the chair]

head:

Prayers

TheꢀSpeaker: Lord, the God of righteousness and truth, grant to our Queen and to her government, to Members of the Legislative Assembly, and to all in positions of responsibility the guidance of Your spirit. May they never lead the province wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideas but, laying aside all private interest and prejudice, keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition of all. Please be seated.

head:

Members’ Statements

Affordable Child Care

MsꢀPancholi: Mr. Speaker, we have a real opportunity in this province. Yesterday’s federal budget included a landmark commitment of $30 billion over five years for early learning and child care. This is a significant investment. It can change lives and transform our economy and who has the opportunity to participate in it fully. I want to take a moment and acknowledge the outpouring of emotion and joy being felt by women right across Alberta. I want to take a moment to congratulate and pay tribute to the generations of women before me who have fought for this for decades. It is on their behalf that I intend to lead the charge to push this Premier and this government to act. We know the uphill fight to convince this government to put aside its ideology isn’t easy. This government recently cancelled the $25- per-day child care pilot program launched by the NDP, abandoning working parents, children, educators, and operators. This was a move in the wrong direction. Just last night the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Children’s Services put out statements relying on the tired fiction of parent choice and saying that they would only play ball with the federal government if the UCP has flexibility over how the funding is used. Here’s the thing. Their approach won’t work. What has been done by Conservative governments for decades when it comes to child care and what the UCP is advocating for doesn’t work. Instead, we’ll continue to see tens of thousands of women unable to participate in the workforce and help grow the economy. We’ll see children left behind. This government is calling for flexibility because it doesn’t want to support affordable child care for all. This is despite the evidence and studies by so many economists, bankers, and experts that have all come to one conclusion: there is no economic recovery without affordable child care.
Happy National Volunteer Week.

Federal Carbon Tax

Mr.ꢀStephan: Mr. Speaker, the March 25 decision of the Supreme Court is concerning. It confers a fiscal power on Ottawa ripe for abuse. Under the guise of an authority to impose a carbon tax, Ottawa can inflict harm on Alberta businesses and families. This is a constitutional Trojan Horse. Similar to equalization, carbon taxes can be used to leverage de facto transfer payments and power from Alberta to favour political power bases in the east. This decision will embolden the Trudeau Liberals. Their carbon tax is $40 a tonne. They plan to increase it each year to $170 a tonne. How will this impact the competitiveness of our oil and gas industry? How about the impact on Alberta families and businesses? Crickets. Mr. Speaker, let’s be honest. Carbon taxes are as much political as they are environmental. If Quebec was an oil and gas jurisdiction, Ottawa would never impose these carbon taxes. This is a troubled partnership. Entrenched interests benefiting from it will seek to impede efforts by Alberta for fairness. What shall we do?
The issues surrounding child care became more apparent during this COVID-19 pandemic, but they existed long before. If this government is serious about supporting Albertans through the unprecedented challenges they currently face, then I call on them to put their money where their mouth is, work with the federal government to make affordable child care for all a reality, and help us build Alberta’s future. Thank you.
We must prepare for the future, and we must increase self-reliance

from a rudderless federal government, morally challenged and now fiscally bankrupt, without a principled vision of hope. Yet we are

TheꢀSpeaker: The hon. Member for Brooks-Medicine Hat.

4666

Alberta Hansard

April 20, 2021 needs and provide spiritual and mental health support to others. Alberta Health Services, too, provides resources and support for those in need. This includes the 24/7 Health Link line, that Albertans can access by dialing 811, and also includes the addiction helpline, mental health helpline that Albertans can access through the Alberta Health Services website. I encourage everyone in need to use the supports that are provided by the Alberta government and by AHS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. free to act for ourselves and can trust in the truth, that small and simple things can be magnified into great outcomes. Thank you.

Premier’s Remarks on COVID-19

Mr.ꢀNielsen: I will start by stating some basic facts about COVID- 19. It is not the flu. It has affected both the young and old. Our homeless population is not immune. Those infected with COVID- 19 are sick. Keeping our schools safe will require more than having teachers tidy up. It’s dangerous and must be taken seriously. These are the essential facts, essential because from the start of this pandemic the Premier has argued against each of these points. At every single chance this Premier has used his position to dismiss the seriousness of COVID-19, from the start of this pandemic, where the Premier six times in one day called COVID-19 the flu, to this week, where the Premier invented a birthday party rather than admit schools might not be safe. Albertans have been looking for serious leadership during this pandemic, and they have been disappointed time and time again by this Premier. They look to him to support them with the restrictions and were disappointed with his paltry response, that has caused thousands of small businesses to struggle. They look to him to show leadership with our health care heroes, only to see him wage war with them during the first and second waves and plan to fire 11,000 front-line workers. They look to him to lead by example, only to watch him sign off on tropical vacations during Christmas while everyone else was told to stay home. They look to him to lead his caucus and party, only to watch him defend the selfish, reckless actions of 17 of his caucus over the health and well-being of Albertans.

TheꢀSpeaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-McCall is next.
COVID-19 Impact on Education

Mr.ꢀSabir: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some days it’s as if the Minister of Education doesn’t even talk to parents, students, teachers, and school staff. She actually had the audacity to stand in this House yesterday and claim that COVID-19 has not affected the learning of students for 99.6 per cent of Alberta students. I was floored. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. Perhaps if she talked to families in my constituency, in Fort McMurray, in Sherwood Park, she would realize that nearly 90,000 students are currently being forced to learn from home because the government sat on its hands last summer and did nothing to prepare for the second and third waves of COVID-19. Perhaps if she talked to teachers, she would realize that so many continue to do their jobs in fear of variant strains discovered in their schools, that they continue to do all they can to keep themselves and their students safe, but they are stretched far too thin. Perhaps the minister would be reminded that she fired 20,000 educational assistants at the outset of this pandemic, and those staff would help so greatly right now as schools attempt to maintain social distancing and proper hygiene. Perhaps if the minister talked to school staff, she would realize that funding support for school PPE and cleaning supplies ran out long ago, and so much more support is needed just to allow for basic cleaning of schools. And perhaps if she talked to parents now at home with their kids, she would understand the need for a proper Alberta learn-from-home fund to help pay for the additional costs being piled onto household budgets that are already stretched.
From day one he has made unsubstantiated, unscientific claims, and when called on it, he blames everyone else, from the unknown briefers, who he blames for his invented birthday party in Athabasca, to members of the media, who he accuses of bashing Albertans. For a Premier who claims that he’s responsible for the government response, I certainly can’t find him taking responsibility at a time when we need real leadership.

TheꢀSpeaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-East.

Perhaps this minister should do her job and talk to Albertans. This is not the time for her to stand in this House and pat herself on the back. She hasn’t done the job at all.

Mental Health

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.ꢀSingh: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past year has been a

difficult one for all Albertans. Faced with increased isolation and a lack of community support, many Albertans have felt that their mental health has been negatively impacted. Albertans have been forced to adjust to a new normal. For many, this means setting up an office at home, attending online school, or meeting with loved ones virtually. This has been the new normal, but that doesn’t mean that it is ideal. While we look forward to a new year and a gradual return to how things were before, we need to acknowledge the challenges that Albertans currently face, particularly in maintaining their mental health. Albertans have made great strides recently to destigmatize asking for help and to encourage healing for mental health. This is very important because a person’s mental health can influence every aspect of their lives.

Keyano College Flood Mitigation
MsꢀGoodridge: Last spring Fort McMurray experienced a 1-in-

100-year flood that caused extensive damage to businesses, homes, critical infrastructure throughout the area, including at Keyano College. With the spring river break-up upon us again, protecting critical infrastructure is priority number one in Fort McMurray. Last week I had the opportunity to meet with Keyano College to discuss some of the steps they are taking to protect themselves against potential flooding. During their meeting I learned that Keyano has decided to use an innovative, Alberta-based company, Tiger Dam, to help provide flood mitigation and protections. The Tiger Dam flood barrier is a leading-edge system that can be quickly deployed in the event of an emergency by using flexible, water-filled bladders to block flood waters. Each dam is reusable, and it replaces about 500 sandbags and is half the price of sandbags on first use.